The Life and Times of Kyuubi no Kitsune
by XxDeafening.SilencexX
Summary: A tale of tragedy and woe about the life of one Kyuubi no Kitsune, and how he came to love the man who would become his death. Ever wondered how a fearsome demon was caught by a mere human, even one as powerful as the Fourth Hokage? KyuubiYondaime, not AU
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, and I am not making any profit from this fanfic.

**A/N: **It's KyuubiYondaime without being in an Alternate Universe!! Mwahahahahaha! I've been itching to do this for forever!

**Full Summary:** A tale of tragedy and woe about the life of one Kyuubi no Kitsune, and how he came to love the man who would become his death. Ever wondered how a fearsome demon was caught by a mere human? Or why the Yondaime did not kill the demon outright, but instead sealed him instead his only son? The answers are here. KyuubiYondaime, not AU

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**Prologue**

Kyuubi no Kitsune was born on a cold winter night, the runt of a litter of five kits. His mother had no time to worry about him as her four other newly-born kits fought each other to reach her side and her milk, and his father remained impassive as he watched Kyuubi struggle hopelessly to push past the other kits. When Kyuubi finally did reach his mother, most of the milk was gone, and the other kits were going to sleep. Kyuubi only gave a small mewl when he found, on that first day, that he would have almost nothing to eat. Then he went to sleep, but not in a huddle with his brothers and sisters, who were all by the warmth of their mother. Kyuubi tottered over to his father's side and collapsed there, asleep within a second.

His mother and father exchanged worried glances over him, both thinking that by morning he would most likely be dead, as runts were wont to die early – a sad fact, but a fact nevertheless. And, because he believed this would be his son's last night alive, Kyuubi's father did not push him away, but instead cuddled closer to his kit and shared his warmth a little more. It was a very cold night, after all. There had been a blizzard earlier in the night, and even now the wind was sending chills throughout the cave. So Kyuubi's father took pity on his kit, and hoped to make the night a warm one for his runt-without-a-name. Maybe his passing would be more comfortable then.

But in the morning, Kyuubi was not dead. He was very much alive, and had woken up early in order to get his share of the milk. Before even one of his siblings (before even his mother!) had awoken, Kyuubi had pushed to his mother's side, and was sucking happily when the rest of his family finally woke up. His mother and father were surprised, to say the least. His siblings were indignant, and immediately tried to move him. But he didn't budge.

Kyuubi clung on to his spot and his milk until he was done with his breakfast, and only then moved away, feeling a bit smug at his success. Then Kyuubi looked up and his crimson eyes caught the equally crimson eyes of his father. They stared at each other for a while, the father thinking that maybe he had underestimated this runt, the son thinking that his father was rather tall and intimidating, and then Kyuubi smirked, barring his teeth.

His father smirked back, barring his own, much bigger and pointier teeth, and they both gained some more respect for the other. But then Kyuubi burped, looking indeed very cute, and ran to his father's side, cuddling a bit more, for the morning was also cold. His father laughed at his kit, and as he laughed, he pushed Kyuubi away. For he had changed his opinion of this runt. This runt would live, and therefore, he couldn't be coddled anymore. Because the rule in life for the demon world was the strong survive, and the weak die. Kyuubi's father wanted to make sure his kit would survive.

And Kyuubi did survive. Although two of his siblings died in that cruel winter, one from the cold and one from hunger, Kyuubi just grew bigger and stronger with each passing day. In fact, Kyuubi's mother and father were afraid that he would starve out the rest of his siblings, because he drank so much milk and ate so much of the food that his parents provided that usually there wasn't enough to go around for the two remaining kits. But thankfully, at the end of the year that demon kits spent with their parents, all three remaining kits were still alive.

At this time, the demon kits had been taught everything they needed to survive in the world, and would be able to start living their own lives, without the guidance of their parents. But before this could happen, the kits needed to go through one more ritual with the help of their parents. On the first anniversary of their births, the three kits followed their parents as they trekked through a snowstorm for quite a few hours, arriving at their destination in the early afternoon.

The snow had stopped by then, and all the kits could see they were beside a lake, the surface of which had all frozen into ice, all except one patch of water in the middle. They all stopped there, and Kyuubi's father stepped forward and called his kits to him.

"This lake is not just what it seems. It was where the first fox demon took its nourishment from on the day of his birth. He drank the water and caught the fish, and so lived on, to create his mate and our whole race. And when he was about to die, he sealed his spirit in here eternally, so that he could live on. Therefore, this place is special to us fox demons." He now turned to face the lake. "Do you see the water in the middle of the ice?"

The kits all nodded.

"That is where you will go. One by one you will look into that water, and you will then come to know of two things. One: your rightful name. You all realize that neither your mother nor I have named you ourselves, and all of you have asked about the reason, and it is this. It is not our privilege to give you your names. It is the privilege of the first fox demon, Kyuubi no Kitsune, to name each and every one of his offspring, and when you look into the water that contains his spirit, your name will be imprinted into your mind. That is the first thing.

"As for the second, when you look into the water, you will see an image. It will be different for each one of you, and whoever you see will be very important to your whole life. I will…" The elder demon paused and swallowed before going on. "After you all complete this ritual, I will tell you what the image you see means. But let us get this done." He pushed one of Kyuubi's siblings onto the ice, and the four fox demons left on the shore watched as the kit scrambled along the ice, crawling towards the water.

She came back shivering with cold, her whiskers coated with frost, but she had achieved her goal. Her name was Rina, she said, and in the water she had seen a fearsome cat demon with only one attached ear and knife-like teeth. Kyuubi frowned with annoyance when his father motioned his brother to go next, but settled down to wait and watch as the other kit slipped and slid on the ice.

His brother came back a little faster than his sister, announcing that his name was Takiya and that he had seen a demon too, a raccoon demon with sand colored fur, black rings around its eyes, and a wicked smirk.

Then it was Kyuubi's turn (although, as you know, he didn't know his name yet). He stepped onto the ice gently, but then slipped and tumbled onto his stomach. Behind him, he heard his siblings giggle, and Kyuubi frowned in frustration and tried to stand up. He balanced on his paws and then unsheathed his claws, sinking them into the ice and holding himself up. He then started to walk, claws still out. The giggling had stopped, and if Kyuubi had turned to look back, he would have seen a look of pride on his parents' faces.

But he didn't look back. Kyuubi kept moving forward across the ice and got to the center of the lake effortlessly (and a lot faster than his siblings). He stopped in front of the patch of water and looked down into it, taking care not to fall in. As he looked in, the water started swirling, whipping itself into a frenzy, and Kyuubi stepped back. This was new. The water hadn't done this for his siblings.

'That's because you're special, little kitsune, and I want to get a good look at you.' Kyuubi's eyes widened in shock and a little bit of fear at the deep voice that resounded within his mind. Was this…

'Yes it is, and I hope I don't scare you _too _much.' The voice cackled. 'After all, you're the first company I've talked to in a thousand years.'

"So…you _are _Kyuubi no Kitsune? And you've been sealed into this water?"

'Yeah. Did it to prevent myself from dying at this really vicious wound that the raccoon clan gave me. Let me tell you, that Shukaku is a _bastard_.' The water had stopped moving after taking on the shape of a giant fox with nine fantastic tails.

"Was Shukaku…the first raccoon demon?"

'Yeah.' The giant fox grinned. 'That means the last raccoon demon will be named Shukaku also.'

"What do you mean? It's guaranteed?"

'Yup. Tsk, tsk, I'm sad your parents haven't already taught you that. It seems my children have forgotten some things over the years. But yes, the last of a demon race is always named after the first of a race. And your name, little kit, is going to be Kyuubi no Kitsune.'

Kyuubi was struck speechless. "That means…the name…"

'Yes. You will outlive your parents, your siblings, and every other fox demon. There will be a time when you will become the last of your race.'

"But what about you?! I won't outlive you, right? Your spirit is in this lake, so you can't die!"

The first fox demon laughed. 'I'm not exactly alive either, you know. My spirit's in this lake, but really it's tied to our race. So when you, as the last fox demon, die, I'll die too. I guess neither of us is going to be outliving the other.'

"Oh." The newly-named Kyuubi blinked, not knowing what to say.

The other Kyuubi laughed. 'Don't worry about it. Now, are you ready to see your death?'

Kyuubi blinked. "My death? Is that what my siblings also saw in the pool?"

The first fox nodded as he disappeared back into the water, turning shapeless once more. 'Yeah. You can make many choices in life and change many things, but your death will remain the same. It is like being born. You cannot choose the way you come into the world, nor can you choose the way you go out. Or, at least' And there was a last laugh, 'not with us demons. Now watch.'

Kyuubi did, tiptoeing closer to the pool of water in the center of the vast ice-covered lake. He was fully prepared to see an awesome demon in the water, just like his siblings had done. There were many demons in the world, he knew, and every one of them wanted to survive. So it wouldn't have been surprising for the last of the fox demons to be killed by another demon, because survival of the fittest was what it was about in this world.

But when he looked into the water, Kyuubi did not see a demon. Instead, he saw…a human, yes, that was what the race was called. A male human, he thought, and a beautiful one. Beautiful because the human had golden hair and bright blue eyes, a dazzling combination. And he had pale skin too, and a stubborn chin, and his face was almost entirely symmetrical, lending a simple perfection to his features. For one moment, Kyuubi was so entranced by the human's beauty that he did not mind the thought of being killed by him.

Then the moment passed, and his disgust surfaced. "The last fox demon is killed by _that_? How pitiful."

The deep voice that was his ancestor laughed. 'You never know, Kyuubi. Perhaps that human holds a strength unrivaled by any demon. You'll never know until you meet him.' And then the first fox demon sobered up. 'But now, my son, now you know your death. So live your life knowing nothing will strike you down until that fateful day, until that particular human. Live your life with strength and courage, and make your namesake proud.'

Kyuubi nodded. "I will." He answered simply, then turned to go. He had a life to live.

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The first chapter should come quite soon. Review if you would like, it would make me very happy.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form.

A/N: I'm wondering…is there any difference between demons (like Kyuubi) and summons (like Gamabunta)? I mean, they're both in animal form and they're both intelligent, so maybe the only difference is in their chakra? Or maybe there's no difference at all. Maybe the summons are just tamed demons. Hmm…

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**The Life and Times of Kyuubi no Kitsune – Chapter 1**

Leaving his parents and living on his own wasn't _too _hard, Kyuubi thought. It was basically the same routine everyday. Wake up, wash, eat, fight off demons that were on his territory, eat, hunt, explore, eat again, sleep. Demons were solitary creatures, if not hostile ones, and Kyuubi was content with himself. Although, in time…he grew bored.

Kyuubi was a good fighter, a great one even. Even if the other demons didn't underestimate him because of his youth or size, he could still defeat them. They just weren't enough of a challenge, and often, when his enemy lay dead at his feet, Kyuubi wished for something more. More…enjoyable. More exhilarating. Sometimes throughout that first year he wished to meet his death, that golden haired human with sky blue eyes. He wished to fight that human, and, because he knew he would eventually die, then he could give his all.

And then he lost. On one beautiful autumn day, when the color of the leaves matched the color of his fiery coat, Kyuubi met a huge raccoon demon on the edge of his territory and engaged him in battle. He usually would've been more cautious about this sort of thing, especially with such a physically powerful opponent, but he was feeling reckless that day.

The battle didn't last that long. The moment Kyuubi tried to charge the huge raccoon he knew he was outclassed. And with the next few clashes Kyuubi also knew the raccoon was only toying with him, amused by this tenacious little fox demon that was trying to hurt him.

Kyuubi began to get scared. What was he thinking about taking on his death? Or taking on this raccoon, for that matter? He wasn't anywhere near ready to face such a fearsome opponent. He had just been cocky, too cocky, and now all he could think about was that he didn't want to die. Not now. Not now…

But then he remembered his namesake's words. 'Live your life knowing nothing will strike you down until that fateful day, until that particular human.' Yes. Right. His death was already predetermined, and nothing would change that. This raccoon would not kill him, and he knew that. So why was he afraid? There was nothing to fear here.

And then Kyuubi sprang forward again with a snarl, determined to do his best against the raccoon. If he wasn't going to win (and there was _no_ way he was going to win), he was going to lose with honor. Or something like that. He wouldn't back down, at least.

The raccoon got tired of playing with him within a few minutes and knocked him down with a well-placed swipe. When Kyuubi fell onto his back, the raccoon placed a claw to his throat, then got up close to his face.

"You're a territorial little fox, aren't you? What's your name?"

Kyuubi struggled a little under the raccoon's claw, but the pressure didn't let up. The raccoon laughed. "Your name, little fox."

"K-Kyuubi."

"Oh really? And how old are you?"

"I've been out in the wild for about 5 months." Kyuubi grumbled, somehow ashamed of his youth in front of this clearly powerful demon.

"Hmm?" The raccoon seemed to be thinking out loud to himself, yet he let Kyuubi hear what he was thinking. "Your chakra definitely surpasses what is normal for someone of your age, but your size and physical power are both normal. So either you could be lying to me about your age and be extremely weak physically, or you could be telling the truth and have an enormous chakra supply. Hmm. I wonder what it could be."

Kyuubi struggled again under the raccoon's claw. "I'm not lying!" He didn't like being forced onto his back, his paws dangling uselessly in the air. His tail was whipping back and forth before him, lashing against the raccoon's arm.

The raccoon gazed down at him appraisingly. "Kyuubi, you said your name was?"

"Yes." The claw still hadn't let up and Kyuubi was struggling for air. He tried to take in a deep breath in order to say something more. "Kyuubi no Kitsune."

The raccoon let up on him now and Kyuubi flipped over immediately, shaking the dirt out of his fur. "What's your name?" He growled as he turned back to the raccoon. "You're on my territory, after all."

The raccoon smiled. "You've got a lot of fighting spirit, haven't you? It'll get you killed someday."

Kyuubi sniffed in disdain. "But not today. You've defeated me, but you haven't killed me. And besides, I know my death."

To Kyuubi's surprise, the raccoon asked him a strange, seemingly off-topic question. "Then if you know your death…tell me this. Is your death a human also?"

Kyuubi's mouth opened in shock, then closed with a snap. "Yes. A beautiful human." And then the 'also' in the question shocked Kyuubi even more. "Your…your death is a human too?"

"Yes." Now the raccoon's smile was a bit warmer, less mocking. "Mine is beautiful too. And as for the answer to your question, my name is Shukaku."

Shukaku…Kyuubi tried to remember where he had heard that name before, because he knew he had. Somewhere, somewhere…he looked up at the raccoon and remembered. "You're the last raccoon demon!" he blurted out.

"Yes." Shukaku agreed. "And you are the last fox demon." His tone was condescending, as if he didn't think Kyuubi was worthy of his name, and the little fox huffed with anger.

"I have survived." Kyuubi seethed. "And I will survive whatever else life will throw at me. Do not _underestimate_ me."

"Aww. You're so cute." When Shukaku saw that Kyuubi was growing even angrier, he smiled. "I'm sorry, but you're so little, and I just want to cuddle and spoil you." He appeared to think for a while, then offered, "How about this? You come live with me and the raccoon clan for a while, and I'll teach you some tricks. Help you grow up a little."

Kyuubi backed away from Shukaku a little, fur standing on end. "Where did _that _come from? I doubt it was from your sense of hospitality."

"Of course not." Shukaku scoffed. "I just want to help you reach your potential."

"I don't need help. You're the first demon that has defeated me."

"And that was because of the chakra emanating from this territory. The only demons foolish enough to wander in were the ones so weak they couldn't even sense the chakra. And then there was me." Shukaku shot the smaller demon a smirk. "I noticed the chakra, of course. But I knew I was stronger, so I went in anyways."

Kyuubi frowned. "You knew you were stronger? You didn't know I was this young, so you couldn't have known you were stronger than me physically. So how did you know you were stronger than me chakra-wise?"

"I just knew." he said with a flick of his ears, something akin to a demon shrug. "Can't you sense my chakra?"

Kyuubi shook his head in confusion. His parents had taught him about chakra, of course, and the ways to mold it, and they had told him he had a very powerful sense for chakra. Had they been lying?

"Hmph." Shukaku glanced down at Kyuubi and seemed to do something, and suddenly Kyuubi was pushed back by an invisible force, something like a blast of wind. The little fox tumbled head over heels over the ground and finally came to a stop at the base of a tree, bruised and aching.

"What was _that_?" Kyuubi demanded, slowly getting up on his own four paws again. "You could've at least warned me!"

Shukaku lowered his head to look at the fox properly. "I thought you would've expected it. That was my chakra, you know. I just removed some of the wards containing its full power. Sense it now?"

Kyuubi wrinkled his nose disapprovingly. "Of course I do, now that it's _flattening me against this tree_!" When Shukaku had moved closer, the little fox had been pushed back again, and now was struggling against the tide of chakra that was indeed flattening him against the tree behind him. "Now stop it!"

Shukaku laughed again and then shielded his power, though he still didn't move back as Kyuubi staggered to his feet for the second time and started washing himself with his tongue. After he was his usual neat self again, Kyuubi glared at Shukaku and stated, "Now, why did you ask me if I could sense your chakra when you had wards up and knew perfectly well that I wouldn't be able to sense it?"

"Oh, the wards shouldn't have applied to someone with your chakra strength. I don't want to scare away the normal strength demons, but with someone like you, who could be a danger to my pack, I want to make sure you know my real strength." Then Shukaku frowned, trying to figure out the paradox that was Kyuubi. "You definitely should've been able to see through my wards. Anybody with your chakra strength should, unless you have no control of your chakra at all."

Kyuubi huffed. "I do have control! And I can use more chakra than both my siblings combined! That's what my parents told me. But…my chakra supply is nowhere as great as yours. Not even half of what you just showed me. Am I really as powerful as you think I am?"

Shukaku was shocked into silence by Kyuubi's question. Did the little fox really have no grasp of his real power? Perhaps this was why his chakra ran rampant throughout his territory, feeling to the senses so wild that everybody stayed away. "Your chakra…it's monstrous, even in demon terms. Do you remember what my chakra did to you when I unleashed it?"

Kyuubi nodded, listening intently to the elder demon. Although he loathed admitting it even to himself, along with his feeling of boredom, he had been discomfited by the lack of powerful enemies. Life was supposed to be harder, he knew. One wasn't supposed to have such a huge uncontested territory at such a young age. He had been afraid…of what, he didn't know. Maybe of some demon finally discovering his youth and weakness and defeating him easily, just as Shukaku had done. But to his luck, Shukaku was now explaining things to him, helping him instead of taking advantage of his victory. He couldn't describe how grateful he was to the raccoon just now.

"Well, your chakra is like that all around your territory. It probably feels like a physical barrier to other demons, so they don't trespass for fear of death. In fact, even to me, your chakra felt so hostile and protective I expected to meet an enraged alpha male with a mate full of kits. Imagine my surprise when I saw cute little you."

Shukaku smiled down at the little fox, amused at pushing Kyuubi's buttons. Because the fox demon really _was_ cute, and didn't look like he should be the source of such a huge and menacing power. But then, appearances could be deceptive.

"But why aren't I aware of my chakra? I didn't consciously command it to do that."

"I think because you can't control all of it yet." Shukaku answered truthfully, and then added, "Don't glare at me like that. It's normal for kits of your age to have mediocre control, but it's ok for most of them because they don't have a lot of chakra to control in the first place. You on the other hand, have chakra that surpasses most adult demons, and it flares out without your knowledge or command because your body probably can't take that much chakra. Maybe a natural coping mechanism? Anyways, if you achieve more control you'll be able to use more chakra, I think."

"So how do I get more control?" Kyuubi asked.

Shukaku grinned. "Come live with me and my pack, and I'll teach you control."

Kyuubi looked dubious. "Shouldn't there be a hitch to that or something? I doubt you're so generous as to offer to teach me without anything in return."

"You're right. I'm not that generous." Shukaku playfully flicked Kyuubi on his forehead, laughing when the fox's ears began madly twitching (probably in anger). "So, in return for my teaching, you'll have to swear never to harm someone in my protection. If you don't know how to now, I'll teach you how to sense chakra marks. It's how an alpha male marks everyone in their pack or protection so that other alpha males will leave them alone."

"Will you mark me like that too?" Kyuubi asked.

"Of course, that is, if you choose to live with my pack. But later. You need to learn some more control first. Until then, your massive chakra by itself should keep any enemies away. Most demons will stick to the easy targets. So, will you live with my pack?"

Kyuubi thought about it. Living in a pack with other demons might be interesting, and what Shukaku promised to teach him would be valuable in life. He knew he could get stronger, but Kyuubi wanted to get one thing straight before he followed Shukaku to wherever. "I'm not weak." Kyuubi stated.

"No you aren't." Shukaku agreed, smothering a grin at the tone of Kyuubi's voice. The little fox obviously wanted to assure himself that it wasn't shameful to give up his independence to learn something from someone stronger than he was.

"The only reason I'm following you is to learn better control of my chakra, so that further on I can access more of it when I need to."

"Yes. You can go whenever you want, actually, but I think you should stay at least a few years. Maybe a decade if you feel like it."

"Just to learn control?" Kyuubi asked skeptically. "I'm a quick learner, you know."

Now Shukaku couldn't resist a laugh at Kyuubi's self-important tone, and he leaned down until his nose was only a few inches from the little fox's. "Yes, but I bet you don't know that your chakra supply will grow, do you little fox? For the average demon kit, their chakra doubles during the first or second decade of their lives, and then keeps growing steadily as they grow older and older. The growth rapidly diminishes with every year, of course, so that the really old demons' chakra seems to be at a steady level, but then they've had years to perfect their control and can wield their chakra in deadly ways. Not a lot of them left these days though."

Shukaku appeared to drift off into his thoughts for a second, then came back to himself. "But I don't know if your chakra supply will grow that dramatically. It's massive already, and for it to double would be incredible. But you're going to need perfect control just for your present power, and god-like control if it continues to develop. Lots of work, Kyuubi-chan." He teased, being so unlike his normal self. He was getting attached to the little fox kit…maybe because Kyuubi reminded the raccoon of himself at that age. Yes, that was probably it. Kyuubi reminded Shukaku incredibly of himself when he was little.

Kyuubi huffed. "I can do it. How far away is your pack?"

"A little while over. You seem to like the forests – we raccoons prefer the sand. But the desert isn't as far as you think it is, and I felt your chakra all the way over there, so I came to check out the threat."

"So I'll be leaving my territory behind?" Kyuubi didn't like that thought much. He had specifically included the lake the first Kyuubi resided in in his territory, and he didn't want to leave it. "I don't want other demons to come in and take over…"

"You don't have to worry about that too much. Even though you'll be gone, your chakra will still linger here for a while, at least a year, and it'll scare away any scavengers. If you care about your land so much we can come back every year and re-mark your territory with your chakra. It'll be easy to keep your territory untouched."

"I suppose…" But Kyuubi still didn't like the thought of leaving his namesake behind. "Can I visit someplace first before we go?" He wanted to see the lake again.

"Sure. My pack doesn't expect me back until nightfall, so we have plenty of time."

Kyuubi looked up at Shukaku and smirked. "Nightfall, ey? Did my chakra feel _that _powerful?"

Shukaku released a stream of chakra that had Kyuubi falling head over heels over himself again, not being able to block against the invisible blast of chakra. "You see, Kyuubi-chan." Shukaku started out, his tone mocking in its combined superiority and glee, "you can get cocky when you can stop me from doing that. Until then, shut up and listen to your teacher. He knows best."

Kyuubi resisted the urge to stick out his tongue in defiance and just turned around and started in the direction of the lake, his tail whisking along behind him. Shukaku followed with a grin.

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The two demons both stopped at the edge of the lake, where they sat down and just admired the view for a while. Even though Shukaku preferred the desert, this lake was enchanting in some way, a lush woodland retreat from life. And it was a testament to how well Kyuubi unconsciously created a barrier with his chakra, because although on the way here there had been spots in the forest where trees had been torn apart and the landscape destroyed, the lake was entirely unharmed. Shukaku doubted that anyone had even been in this part of the forest since Kyuubi had made it his territory, the land was so untouched.

But he was startled when the fox beside him called out, "Kyuubi! Kyuubi no Kitsune!" Had the little fox gone insane? Why was he calling out his own name? But then Shukaku remembered that Kyuubi's name wasn't just his own. Kyuubi no Kitsune was also the first fox demon, like how his own name also belonged to the first raccoon demon. So did that mean that this lake housed the spirit of the first Kyuubi?

Kyuubi was disappointed that his ancestor did not answer, but then, maybe the first fox demon was only active during the winter, when he waited to name his children and to give them a glimpse of their deaths.

"Is this where Kyuubi sealed himself?" Shukaku asked quietly, seeing Kyuubi's disappointment.

"Yeah." The little fox answered just as quietly.

Shukaku turned around to go. "Well, the fox clan was lucky then. _My _ancestor chose to seal himself in a rock. And not a mountain either, a regular rock. I mean, sure it's easy to transport, and Shukaku never gets lost, but it's somewhat humiliating when the spirit of your oldest ancestor is sealed into a rock, you know." The raccoon looked back over his shoulder and saw Kyuubi chasing after him, a happy expression back on his face. Just for a moment back there, Kyuubi had seemed a lot older, much too mature for a kit as young as him. And Shukaku had felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness toward the little fox kit, to make him feel better even at the expense of his oldest and most respected ancestor.

"Did Shukaku really seal himself into a rock?" Kyuubi asked excitedly, finding this revelation extremely funny. "But then how did all the raccoon demons find him when their kits became of age?"

Shukaku came to an abrupt stop and said, "Climb up onto my forehead, Kyuubi. I'll tell you on the way to my pack's territory." Then he lowered his forehead and waited as the little fox clambered onto his nose and up onto his forehead. And then, with only a warning of "Hang on", Shukaku took off.

"Now, as for Shukaku-rock, we've just always been able to find where it's been. I believe that since we all have his blood in our veins, it's only natural that he can call us to him…"

Shukaku and Kyuubi talked and talked as the forest landscape melted into desert and as the sun passed its highest point in the sky and started descending towards the horizon. They had been moving for more than an hour, Kyuubi knew, but Shukaku's pace had never slackened. It was amazing, the raccoon's power and stamina.

-----

The two of them reached Shukaku's pack around mid-afternoon, and Kyuubi was amazed at how many raccoons lived here, from kits younger than he was to one or two elders that looked much older than Shukaku. But he could also see that Shukaku was undoubtedly the alpha male of the pack, even though he might not be the oldest.

All of the raccoons had stopped what they were doing to welcome Shukaku back, and now as they clustered around him, the raccoon hissed to Kyuubi, "Get down. I need to introduce you."

Kyuubi didn't quite want to (the mass of raccoons somewhat…scared him), but as Shukaku lowered his head the fox jumped down and tried to look fearless.

"This is Kyuubi." He heard Shukaku say from behind him. "He's a fox demon, but I expect you all to welcome him into our pack, ok? Especially you kits. He's never lived in a pack before." The kits Shukaku were referring to were mostly sitting before Kyuubi, studying him intently. There were a few younger than him, but most seemed older (and were bigger) than him. But they were all wrinkling their noses, as if to a bad smell, and Kyuubi wondered how he was making such a bad impression.

Shukaku had said some more after introducing Kyuubi, but the little fox had missed the exact words. Now Shukaku nudged Kyuubi towards the raccoon kits, saying, "The kits will get you settled in, hmm? Don't be shy." Kyuubi felt Shukaku turn and leave along with many of the other adult raccoons, but he just kept staring at the raccoon kits before him, and they stared back.

When almost everybody else had gone, they pounced. Or so it seemed to Kyuubi. They all jumped at him at the same time, and in a moment he had his claws out and teeth bared, but all they did was to cluster around him, rubbing their fur against his. Kyuubi, confused but getting the fact that they weren't going to harm him, retracted his claws and asked quietly, "What're you doing?"

The biggest raccoon, a female about two times Kyuubi's size, answered for all of the kits. "We're just all getting to know you. Feeling your chakra and taking in your scent, that sort of thing. And by the way, your chakra's _huge_. It overwhelmed our senses when you arrived, so if you saw us wrinkling our noses, that was why." Then she saw Kyuubi's obvious discomfort at the raccoons' closeness and questioned, "Has this never happened to you?" She seemed baffled about why Kyuubi himself was confused, as if this was a regular practice or something.

"No." Kyuubi answered truthfully. "Is it just something that happens in packs? Like Shukaku said, I've never really lived in a pack. My parents raised me for a year after I was born and then I lived by myself until Shukaku found me."

"Your parents abandoned you? Or did they die?" The female raccoon asked concernedly.

"No. It's just it's customary for us fox demons to go off on our own after a year." But apparently the raccoons didn't have the same customs.

"Ah. For us raccoons, we just go off whenever we feel like it. We can live in the pack all our lives, but it's not required. Oh, my name's Noriko. Yours is…Kyuubi, right?"

Kyuubi nodded, still feeling slightly bewildered by all the raccoons swarming around him. But all of them seemed to be nice, especially Noriko, so Kyuubi tried to relax and told himself that if he was going to live in this pack, he would have to get used to this sort of thing.

But Kyuubi could feel himself missing solitude more and more with every second that passed. Living in a pack was just too…chaotic.

-----

Shukaku just wanted to get something to eat and then rest for a little bit, but he was detained by his sister, a female raccoon almost as big as he was and the beta female for his pack. He sighed, knowing just what she was going to say.

"Shukaku. what were you thinking bringing that…that _fox _here to our pack?! Have you gone _insane_?!"

"No, Youko, I have _not _gone insane." He kept walking, hoping she would get the hint and leave him alone. She didn't.

"But you know the fox clan has always been our enemy! They've killed more of our family than any other demon clan in history! So _why _are you inviting the enemy into our pack?"

"Do you really regard all foxes as enemies?" Shukaku asked incredulously. "Kyuubi has nothing against us! He wasn't taught to hate us or to kill us, and he's just a little kit! He's only a year and five months old, Youko!"

"And yet his chakra is so powerful that he could wipe us all out. Are you sure this isn't some older kitsune assuming the form of a younger one?"

"I'm sure." Shukaku answered. He had thought of that too, when he had first met Kyuubi. "The form he wears is his true one, and the explanation for his monstrous chakra is simple. He's Kyuubi no Kitsune, Youko. Do you not recognize the name?"

Shukaku waited for a moment and saw enlightenment come over his sister's face. "The last fox demon of all, you mean. The one rumored to become…a nine-tailed demon." Then her face contorted with anger again. "You should've killed him the minute you knew his name, Shukaku! Right now his power is still containable, but if he grows even a little more, his power might surpass yours! And then he would become a danger to all of us."

"You want me to kill such a little kit, Youko?" Shukaku asked, a growl evident in his voice. "I never thought you would become so heartless. Kyuubi will not become a danger, not if he's shown kindness and respect in this pack. With kindness we can convince him never to harm any raccoon, ever. And since he's so strong, the rest of the fox clan will bow to his wishes. I saw a chance to end the war between the foxes and us raccoons, and I'm taking it. So in the future, I forbid you or anyone else in the clan to harm Kyuubi in any way."

Shukaku saw his sister was going to protest, and he cut her off. "Of course, I doubt you could actually harm him." He said with a smirk. "I'm going to be teaching Kyuubi to control and use his chakra, and in a few years he'll be stronger than anyone else in the clan."

Youko stared at Shukaku and shook her head in disbelief. "I knew your mind cracked a little when your mate died, Shukaku, but I never would've thought you would become this crazy. Do you not remember your duty as alpha male in this pack? You have a responsibility to protect everyone here. And yet…you're just inviting in our destruction. You've gotten _attached _to the damn fox, haven't you? Well, do what you want. But I'm making sure _my _kits don't go anywhere _near _that Kyuubi."

She walked away then, and Shukaku realized she would be deaf to anything else he said to defend Kyuubi. He sighed, his appetite gone, and hoped that not everybody else would be as intolerant to the little fox's presence as his sister had been.

-----

A/N: I apologize for any OOC-ness or confusion. Shukaku's OOC-ness I put down to him losing his mate (I shall reveal more about that in later chapters) and Kyuubi's OOC-ness I put down to his youth. But really, I don't think they're OOC at all. They just changed a lot from this time of their lives to when they show up in Naruto. And if you're confused about anything, just ask and I'll try to clarify it.

Oh, and I know for sure that they'll be at least two more chapters about Kyuubi's life before meeting Yondaime. I was wondering if you readers want more chapters about Kyuubi's childhood, or if you just want to get to the part of his life when he meets the Fourth Hokage (who I will call Arashi, since that name just surfaced somewhere in fanfiction). So, tell me your opinion?

Thanks for reading…


	3. Chapter 2

**The Life and Times of Kyuubi no Kitsune – Chapter 2**

The sun was setting, and while all of the kits were still full of energy, their parents were calling for them to sleep. Most of the little raccoons scattered, but Kyuubi managed to stop Noriko before she went. "Noriko! Do you know where I'm sleeping?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. We all sleep with our parents while we're kits, but since your parents aren't here…" She wrinkled her nose in thought. "I guess you should go ask Shukaku. He should know."

"Oh…um, I don't want to bother him really, so can't I just sleep with your family? Who are your parents?" Kyuubi asked.

"Oh, they're the beta male and female for the pack. My mother is Shukaku's sister, and my father has been friends with him since they were kits themselves. But they've been really busy ever since Shukaku's mate died. Uncle hasn't really recovered yet, so Mother and Father have been trying to cover for him."

"Wait, Shukaku's mate died?" Kyuubi hadn't known that.

"You think he routinely goes on scouting missions, even with someone with your chakra?" Noriko was skeptical. "No offense to you or anything, but at most he would have sent Father. Father's stronger than you too, and an alpha male does not leave his pack, not unless for something very important. They should always make sure to leave safeguards for their pack too, but Uncle Shukaku didn't this time. He barely told Father he was going before he left. I'm pretty sure he just wanted to get away for a while."

"When did…Shukaku's mate die?"

"Last winter. The two-tailed cat demon did it, oh, what was his name again…" Noriko shook her head. "I forget. But he killed Aunt Takako while she was heavy with kits, so Uncle lost all of them. And he was so looking forward to having kits too. It was their first litter in a decade, because Aunt had problems getting pregnant in the past…"

"Oh." Kyuubi didn't know what to say. He hadn't known Shukaku had gone through all this, so he just plodded along quietly behind Noriko until they reached the foot of a sizable sand dune. Suddenly a shadow appeared over the top of the dune, and a voice called down, "Noriko? Who's that beside you?"

"Mother!" Noriko squealed, scrambling up the side of the dune. "I brought Kyuubi along! He doesn't have anywhere to sleep, so-"

"The fox?" The huge female raccoon thundered from on top of the sand dune, stopping Noriko in her tracks. "What's _he _doing here?"

"I…he's my friend, Mother." Noriko answered timidly.

"Haven't you learned already that the fox clan is our enemy, Noriko?" Kyuubi, still at the bottom of the sand dune, started to shiver at the menace in the female raccoon's voice. This was Noriko's mother? And Shukaku's sister? She was…scary.

"I know, but Uncle Shukaku brought him here, Mother! Doesn't that mean Kyuubi won't do us any harm? Uncle Shukaku wouldn't bring a danger into our camp!"

"I don't know _what _Shukaku is thinking, Noriko, but you are _my _daughter, and I forbid you from going near that fox. Do you understand me?!"

"Y-Yes, Mother…" Noriko answered meekly, ears flat against her fur in respect.

"Good. Now go to bed." Noriko looked back once at Kyuubi, eyes a silent apology, but then she trotted up and over the sand dune obediently, leaving Kyuubi alone with her mother. After a moment, the giant raccoon turned her attention to Kyuubi.

"Damn fox." she snarled, taking a step down the sand dune. "Do you know how long our two clans have been at war? How many raccoons your family has slaughtered, how much blood has been shed, how much _hatred _has been brewing ever since the birth of our first ancestors? And my dear _brother _thinks it can be solved just by being nice to you. How _stupid_, I say. A _fox _will never change. A fox will keep on killing and murdering, and the only reason you are here and alive is Shukaku, understand?"

Kyuubi was now shivering with fear, no matter how much he tried to stop. But when Noriko's mother looked at him, expecting an answer to her question, he nodded fiercely, to show he understood. He had forgotten completely that he might've been stronger than her in the midst of her threatening aura and towering bulk, because Kyuubi had never felt so…_tangible _a hate before.

"I-I understand," Kyuubi stuttered out, hoping it would be enough to appease the raccoon.

"Good. And you will stay _away _from my daughter, got it? If I find you near her again, I'll kill you, Shukaku or not." With that she turned away from Kyuubi and stalked back over the sand dune, leaving the little fox frozen with fear down at the bottom.

Some time passed. The sun drifted down to the horizon, leaving the landscape in the soft haze of dusk. Kyuubi had still not so much as twitched when he felt someone trying to pick him up by the scruff of his neck, and then he lashed into life, whirling around and glaring at whoever had tried to do that.

It was only Shukaku, and Kyuubi tried to still his rapidly beating heart. "Oh." he said tonelessly. "It's you."

Shukaku frowned, disturbed by Kyuubi's listless tone. "Who else were you expecting?" he asked.

"Nobody." Kyuubi replied. "You just scared me, that's all."

"Well, I shouldn't have. None of my chakra shields are up – you should've felt me coming. Why're you so scared?"

"I'm not!" Kyuubi shouted back. "You just surprised me! Nobody's tried to pick me up like that before! It-" He was about to say it hurt, but as he thought about it, it didn't really. Shukaku's grip had been really gentle.

"It's how parents pick up their kits. You mean to say your parents haven't ever picked you up?" Shukaku was puzzled. He knew the fox demons had different traditions, but not this different. Everybody knew this was the only way to pick up a kit without harming them.

"…My parents barely touched me." Kyuubi replied, realizing it was true. "After I stopped drinking milk from my mother, we pretty much stopped touching altogether. And my father only touched me when we were sparring together, or in anger."

"What about when you slept? Didn't you all huddle together for warmth?"

Kyuubi shook his head. "Only Mother and Father did that. My brother and sister did too sometimes, but I always slept alone. Well, all except the night I was born. I think my father thought I was going to die, so he let me sleep next to him for the night. That was all. Besides, if kits slept with their parents, wouldn't they get squished?"

"Did you get squished on the night you were born?"

"Well, no…but isn't it a possibility?"

Shukaku shook his head, quite amused. "Parents would never ever squish their kits, or in any other way hurt them except while sparring." He answered. "They memorize each and every of their kits' chakra signatures, which is easy because a kit's signature is extremely similar to their parents', and their bodies are conditioned not to harm those with the chakra signatures they have memorized and have labeled as 'dear ones'. So no squishing."

"Oh. I see." Kyuubi said, looking down at the sand. It would've been nice if he'd gotten to sleep with his family when he was little. With his thick fur he was never cold, but it was a little lonely sometimes, especially during the first few days of his life, when all four of his siblings had ostracized him in the night.

Kyuubi jumped when he heard a raccoon demon, most likely a night guard for the camp, howl at the sky, and Shukaku looked at him in worry. "This…this is near my sister's sleeping place." The raccoon said slowly. "Perhaps…you have met my sister?" he speculated.

Kyuubi didn't reply to the question, half-rhetorical as it was. But he didn't look at Shukaku, and that was all the answer the raccoon needed. "Where do you sleep?" Kyuubi asked, shifting his feet nervously. He wanted to get out of here.

Shukaku responded to this by picking Kyuubi up by the scruff of his neck again and starting to walk. Kyuubi looked down at the ground beneath him, his stomach churning at the height he was being held. But Shukaku finally set him down, and Kyuubi breathed a sigh of relief. Shukaku's way of carrying him wasn't painful, but it sure made him uncomfortable.

"Youko isn't so bad at heart, you know." Shukaku said, curling up beside Kyuubi. "She's just…"

"She just hates fox demons, is that what you mean to say?" Kyuubi asked dryly.

Shukaku sighed. "Yes, I suppose. Youko doesn't let go of prejudices easily."

"Especially when they're well-founded. Why didn't you tell me the raccoon and fox clans were at war?" Kyuubi looked up into Shukaku's eyes, wanting the truth.

"Would you have gone with me if I had told you?" Shukaku knew he hadn't told the truth, if only by omission, and guilt gnawed at him with its stubborn little claws.

"Probably not. But then, maybe so. You could've killed me when we first met." As an afterthought, "Why didn't you?"

Shukaku sighed. "As you said before, your death is predestined and therefore you couldn't have been killed by me in the first place. Second of all, if I killed you, the feud between our two clans would definitely have escalated. And third of all, I thought that if I brought you back to my home, maybe some of my clan would let go of their prejudices, and perhaps we could end the war. There have been massive casualties to both sides…"

Kyuubi's ears twitched with sorrow at the thought of the war. "So you're keeping me here as a hostage?"

Shukaku laughed. "Oh no. I'm just hoping that when you grow up, you'll both be strong enough to lead your clan and have no prejudices against us, so that under your leadership the war will hopefully end."

"So…you really are going to teach me control?"

"Oh absolutely. You're a danger to everybody if you don't learn how to control your chakra."

"Really?" Kyuubi asked sleepily, finally curling up against Shukaku's warmth and going to sleep.

"Hmm, yeah. If you don't learn to control your chakra, Kyuubi-chan, you're going to raze this entire land…" But then Shukaku heard a little snore coming from Kyuubi, and knew the little fox was sleeping. The raccoon smiled, nuzzled Kyuubi's head softly one last time, and then settled down to sleep himself. The next few years were going to be exhausting. Better catch some rest now.

--

The next day, both Shukaku and Kyuubi woke up with the sunrise, a little earlier than the rest of the raccoon clan. They hunted, ate, and by the time the rest of the clan had woken up, Shukaku and Kyuubi were standing a little ways from the camp, on a sand dune.

"So, what are we doing today?" Kyuubi asked, bursting with energy.

"A basic exercise. I'm going to make the sand at your feet move, and you're going to have to balance. This exercise works best with water, but that's so scarce here we have to conserve it. And sand works as well." Without any other warning the sand at Kyuubi's feet shifted under him, and he fell head over heels into it. Shukaku laughed.

"That wasn't fair!" Kyuubi shouted, digging himself out of the sand and shaking the gritty matter from his coat. "You didn't give me any warning!"

Shukaku was still laughing at this time. "Oh, you expected a warning? Fine, ready now?"

Kyuubi nodded.

"Ok, so pour chakra into your feet and concentrate on balancing on the sand, ok?"

Kyuubi nodded again.

And then Shukaku made the sand shift again, manipulating it so the sand that was shifting moved in a circle, and Kyuubi managed to balance for two seconds before tumbling head over heels once again into the sand. He surfaced coughing and sneezing, and Shukaku stifled another chuckle. It probably wasn't advisable to get Kyuubi angry this early in the morning, since they still had the whole day to go.

"Again!" Kyuubi demanded, and Shukaku acquiesced. And so the day continued, with Kyuubi tumbling head over heels and getting a mouth full of sand about every few seconds. But the little fox persevered, even when Shukaku suggested they stop for lunch, and by the early afternoon Kyuubi had managed to control his chakra well enough to balance on the sand no matter what Shukaku did. By this time some other raccoon kits had turned up and were cheering Kyuubi on, though some of the older ones had also jumped onto the moving stream of sand, wanting to work on their control too (they were also tumbling head over heels like Kyuubi).

But during the afternoon, when the day was hottest, Shukaku insisted on taking a break for all the kits. He didn't want them to pass out from the heat (hell hath no wrath like a protective mother raccoon). So he led the whole entourage of kits to a nearby oasis, where he watched them drink their fill from the clear cold stream. Then, Shukaku left one of the older kits in charge and went off to hunt for them all, coming back with a couple of dead coyotes, and the demon kits feasted on the meat. After the meal, the kits started climbing onto Shukaku, making a competition out of who could climb onto his back the quickest. Shukaku laughed as he watched the antics of the kits, especially Kyuubi, feeling happier than he had in months.

Noriko watched all this from a distance, staring enviously It was just so unfair that her mother hated Kyuubi. The little fox hadn't done anything wrong, yet her mother…Noriko sighed, before turning and walking away from the lively group at the oasis. Just so unfair.

--

A decade passed like the blink of an eye. Kyuubi grew rapidly, both physically and chakra-wise, and by his sixth year he had surpassed all of the raccoon kits in the clan and even some of the adolescent raccoons that were just reaching maturity. Shukaku saw Kyuubi's potential for the future, saw how strong he could be, but others did too. And those others also saw how dangerous Kyuubi could be in the future, and took action on it.

One day in the middle of summer, when Shukaku and Kyuubi were just returning to the camp from training, Shukaku saw an unexpected raccoon waiting for him by his sleeping place.

"…Ryota?" The younger raccoon looked up at the sound of Shukaku's voice.

"Hello, father." The greeting came only after a slight pause.

Kyuubi frowned and shifted his feet, disturbed by the tension that was in the air. This Ryota was Shukaku's son, right? Shukaku should be happy to see his kits, not angry! After all, Shukaku hadn't been able to have many kits, so he should treasure each and every one of them. But this Ryota, Shukaku didn't seem to like at all.

"Go play with the other kits for a while, Kyuubi." Shukaku said without looking at the little fox. "I'll go find you later."

"Um, ok." And Kyuubi ran off, though reluctantly.

Shukaku waited for Kyuubi to leave before saying, "Why are you here, Ryota?"

The other raccoon smirked. "What, I can't even visit my beloved father without causing suspicion?"

Shukaku felt a deep growl form at the pit of his stomach and starting to travel up his throat. "We both know there's no love lost between us, so stop wasting time. Why are you here?"

The two raccoons glared at each other, sparks of tension running between them. Ryota finally answered, his voice angry and mocking. "I'm _here_, Father, to remind you of the responsibility you owe to our clan. I heard from Aunt Youko that you had brought a fox kit into camp, but I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. Why in kami-sama's name would you do such a thing?"

"I don't need to explain my actions to my own _son_!" Shukaku snarled. "Kyuubi's not a danger to anybody, least of all to any raccoon in this clan!"

"_But he will become one!_" Ryota roared. "Do you not _see_ that, Father? Has he blinded you so? I admit he is a cute little thing, sure to appeal to your paternal instinct, but he is a _fox_, Father, and not a raccoon! And he will become the most powerful fox of all! When he grows up, that fox is going to kill us all!"

"No! Kyuubi is going to be the one that will end this war and save us all! Grow up, Ryota, and see past your prejudice!"

Both raccoons were growling by now, and they were pacing in a circle around each other in the sand, tails lashing and claws out. "My prejudice, father?" Ryota hissed. "It's not prejudice, it's fact. It's been proven again and again with each raccoon that has died in the war, and yet you refuse to see the truth! How many more deaths will it take? The foxes are the enemy, and yet you freely invite this enemy into our home and refuse to throw the little bastard out! If I were the head of this clan-"

"You'll never be the head of this clan, Ryota, as long as I'm alive." The two raccoons suddenly stopped circling each other, as dangerous in their unnatural stillness as in their actions.

"Then I'll just have to kill you, don't I father?" Ryota said it lightly, his eyes half-lidded with malice. He suddenly lashed his tail and turned to go, saying as he left, "I'm going off by myself again, Father. If that fox is still here when I get back, you won't be head of the clan much longer."

Shukaku watched his son bound off across the desert, bristling at the threat. Once Ryota was definitely out of hearing range, he roared up into the sky, a roar of rage as he tried to suppress the anger boiling within his veins. How _dare _Youko contact Ryota and bring him here, as he knew she must've done? How _dare _his son threaten him like that, and, even worse, _judge_ Kyuubilike that without even knowing the little fox kit? Red waves of visible chakra appeared around Shukaku as he gave another roar, and the sand around him whipped up into a fury, a tightly enclosed sandstorm that collapsed almost as soon as it formed. Shukaku had gained his calm back, and knew that he shouldn't draw attention to his anger. Half his clan probably thought he was mad already, and it wouldn't do to further that impression. So Shukaku froze his anger and let it sink to the bottom of his stomach, swallowing it like acid. The red chakra outlining his body faded, but didn't completely disappear.

The visible chakra spiked and shimmered as he turned around, for behind him, shivering a little, was his little fox charge. Shukaku's anger disappeared completely as he saw Kyuubi's fear, and his chakra melted back within himself. When he spoke, it was in a gentle whisper. "Kyuubi. Are you ok?"

Kyuubi gulped and licked his lips, his voice coming out a croak. "I'm sorry I didn't go play with the others." he whispered. "I felt your chakra flaring, and I wondered what was wrong." He paused, looking up at Shukaku with wide eyes. "If I'm really making that much trouble for you, I'll go."

"Go?" Shukaku asked, confused. "Why?"

Kyuubi's tongue flicked out, wetting his dry lips. "I don't want you fighting with your family." he said softly. "Especially not your children." When he saw Shukaku starting to protest, Kyuubi added, "I mean, I can survive by myself! I did it before you brought me into your clan, I can do it again. I don't want to put a burden on you."

Shukaku stepped closer to Kyuubi and lowered his head so he was level with the little fox (he didn't have to bend so long now, he noticed. Kyuubi was growing up). "Don't mind Ryota, Kyuubi. And don't worry about the relationship between me and my son. It was already strained before you came, and it will continue to deteriorate even if you go. So don't go."

Kyuubi said nothing for a few moments, humbled by the amount of sincerity in Shukaku's request. For the raccoon to choose him over his own son…Kyuubi was touched. "Why weren't you on good terms with your son?" he mumbled, changing the topic.

Shukaku sighed, settling down on the sand to tell his story. "Well, Ryota was my firstborn son." he said, laying his head on his front paws and gazing into the distant horizon. "And all firstborn sons seem to naturally butt heads with their fathers, at least among raccoons." He paused. "I don't know about foxes. And the animosity between Ryota and me is greater than between normal fathers and sons, the reason being I am head of the raccoon clan, and Ryota will most likely become my successor."

"Most likely?" Kyuubi questioned. He hadn't settled down on the sand beside Shukaku, instead choosing to pace in a small circle in front of the raccoon.

"Almost guaranteed." Shukaku modified. "In our clan, a new head is chosen…well, the old head is replaced when he is defeated by someone who is qualified to take over his position. Most often, that someone is the old head's eldest son."

"So…Ryota will most likely replace you?"

"Ryota will most likely kill me." The fight for the new clan head was always a life-or-death one.

Kyuubi was silent for an incredibly long time, staring off into the sand dunes. "So, Ryota and you-"

"-we have somewhat of a tense relationship, yes, since he is as aware of this fact as I am."

"But, you _know _Ryota won't be your death." Kyuubi objected. "Since…since you know your death."

"That's a good point." Shukaku admitted. "But I'm waiting to see what new development in my life will change what seems right now to be my unavoidable fate. The fight between Ryota and I will definitely happen in the next decade or two – the tension has escalated so much between us that really, it's just a matter of time."

"…Hey Shukaku?"

"Yeah?"

"So in this fight…do you need to kill Ryota in order to win?"

Shukaku nodded silently.

The two of them said nothing more.

--

**AN:**

T.T Chapter 400 of Naruto was so sad…

I just want to fast-forward this story to when Kyuubi actually goes to Konoha (and meets Minato and all the rest of the people), because I have this whole plot laid out…but I shall write one more chapter with small (sorta) Kyuubi!

Btw, what are your feelings on Shukaku x Kyuubi? Like, while they're still demons, and not sealed in Naruto and Gaara yet (I dunna like NaruGaa/GaaNaru. NejiGaara all the way!).

How the hell did I take 9 months on this chapter? I have no idea.

But I shall update by my friend Kat's birthday! Which is…this Wednesday (…I think? Dunna kill me, Kat)! Yosh!


End file.
